Newcastle United defender Sven Botman was dubbed “utterly embarrassing” after the role he played in Brentford’s third goal on another afternoon to forget for the Magpies on their travels.

Tierney took centre-stage, the former denying Brentford what looked a clear penalty for a foul by Dan Burn – instead booking Dango Ouattara for a dive – and the latter surprisingly agreeing.

But, lo and behold, a few minutes later when Ouattara went down again under Burn’s challenge, Attwell this time pointed to the spot and showed the hapless Burn a second yellow card.

Igor Thiago rolled in the penalty and added a third in stoppage time to condemn Newcastle to more misery on their travels on the fourth anniversary of Eddie Howe’s appointment as manager.

The big controversy erupted when Ouattara tumbled, Burn protested his innocence and Attwell waved away Brentford claims for a spot-kick and flashed the yellow card instead.

Replays showed Burn had clearly made contact with Ouattara’s foot before he went down but Tierney upheld Attwell’s decision, “minimal contact” was the official explanation.

Then came the reprise; Ouattara brought down again by Burn. This one was maybe less convincing, but Attwell pointed to the spot.

Sven Botman dubbed "utterly embarrassing" in Newcastle defeat

A lot of the blame will be put on Burn for his second yellow card and the penalty that he conceded as a result, but the rest of the Newcastle squad didn’t exactly enjoy excellent outings, either. Nick Woltemade came away with an assist, but largely struggled to make the ball stick for the Magpies going forward and Sven Botman looked a shadow of his best self.

At the centre of criticism, Sky Sports’ commentary team took aim at Botman after Thiago scored his second of the afternoon, saying: “Sven Botman, I don’t think he knows that Thiago is behind him, he thinks Ramsdale is coming, he stops running, it’s going to end a sorry afternoon this for the Geordies.”

The criticism didn’t end there, either. Newcastle reporter Joel Bland dubbed Botman “utterly embarrassing” for Brentford’s third and final goal – a verdict that is hard to dispute.

The Dutchman was all too casual before Thiago took full advantage to leave Newcastle on just three Premier League wins in their opening 10 games. Alan Shearer accused the Newcastle squad of being “lazy” when they lost 3-1 against West Ham United last week. Now, a week later, Botman has been accused of not running.

Real Madrid prepared to make Tonali move as Newcastle star reveals exit stance

The Italian’s new deal was just announced.

3 ByTom Cunningham Nov 8, 2025

Whilst they continue to thrive in the Champions League, Newcastle remain in the bottom-half of England’s top tier following a disastrous start.

Newcastle have "one of the best teen prospects" & he can surpass Woltemade

Karim Adeyemi has reportedly made his choice between Manchester United and Arsenal as the Borussia Dortmund star is tipped to leave the Bundesliga next summer. The 23-year-old, whose contract runs until 2027, has stalled on extension talks with Dortmund and has privately accepted that a fresh challenge awaits him.

United’s hopes fade despite early contact

According to United have been tracking Adeyemi closely for months, even speaking to his agent Jorge Mendes to gauge his appetite for a Premier League switch. But optimism quickly evaporated once it became clear that the forward favours Arsenal’s project. Moreover, the German club have set a £75 million ($98m) valuation, significantly higher than what United were prepared to pay, and Adeyemi has already told intermediaries that a move to Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal is his first choice. His preference leaves United searching for alternatives and further highlights the challenge Amorim faces in persuading top-tier forwards to join a rebuilding side.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWeapons scandal looms Over Adeyemi

Adeyemi issued a public apology following a €450,000 fine for possessing prohibited weapons, a knuckleduster and a taser, which he had received unknowingly as part of an online “mystery box”.

In a candid Instagram statement, he explained: "You have probably seen the headlines about me in the last few days. It is not easy for me to talk about this. At the beginning of 2024, out of carelessness and without really thinking about what I was doing, I ordered a so-called ‘mystery box’ on the internet. It contained items that are not permitted under weapons legislation. Many months later, the package was delivered and ended up unopened at the police station.

"Nevertheless, it was a huge mistake. One that I am very sorry about, that cost me dearly and that I deeply regret. I know that I am in the public eye and have a role model function. I did not live up to that. That is precisely why it hurts me all the more that I acted so recklessly. I have learned more from this than I can put into words. And I promise you that I will avoid such mistakes in the future. Thank you to everyone who still trusts and supports me."

No penalty imposed by Dortmund

The case could have resulted in up to three years in prison under German weapons law, or ten if brass knuckles were involved, but Adeyemi escaped with a financial penalty. The fine was calculated based on his income, leaving him with an entry in the federal register but not a criminal record.

Dortmund have opted against further sanctions. Manager Niko Kovac made that clear: "It is no reason for me to ban him for the next few weeks. I am not his father, but his coach. People should put things into proper perspective. Everything has now been said about it. The focus is clearly on the Bundesliga. He will get our full support for that.”

Managing director Lars Ricken also defended the player’s character, emphasising his remorse and their belief in his promise to avoid future lapses.

"We naturally took the matter very seriously and have since been able to speak with Karim Adeyemi at length and clearly about his behaviour," Ricken told Sky Sport. "He deeply regrets his mistake. However, it must also be taken into account that he had to pay a hefty fine, no one was harmed, and the player continues to be considered to have no criminal record. Karim Adeyemi has firmly promised us that he will not make such a mistake again. We trust him to keep his word."

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Getty Images SportGerman federation also weighs in

DFB sporting director Rudi Voller admitted to being blindsided by the situation but urged perspective: "Yes, of course we didn't know [about Adeyemi illegally possessing weapons]. The day after the game in Luxembourg, Lars Ricken called me and told me. He didn't know everything either. Then Julian [Nagelsmann] and I grabbed Karim. We wanted to hear his side of the story. He then tried to explain it to us, more or less.

“We still have the feeling that the lad is developing exceptionally well in the national team. We also live a bit in a time of outrage culture here in Germany…Everyone is always quick to complain, not that I want to sugarcoat it. It's naive or stupid, no matter what you call it."

With contract renewal talks effectively dead, Dortmund now expect a summer sale, and hope the £75m price tag will hold. Arsenal believe he could be a long-term solution for their wide forward positions, especially with Mikel Arteta keen to add pace and penetration to his attack. For United, frustration is familiar. They have pushed hard to identify a forward who can grow alongside Rasmus Hojlund, yet Adeyemi has chosen the red of London instead of Manchester.

Richard Thompson insists 100-ball format will not change before end of current rights cycle

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Sep-2025

Richard Thompson, ECB chairman, insists the 100-ball format will remain for 2026•AFP/Getty Images

The tight turnaround between England’s international and the Hundred is a “short-term issue” which ECB chairman Richard Thompson has pledged will be solved for the next TV rights cycle.England’s men played one day before the start and two days after the end of the Hundred this year, leaving all-format players short on relevant preparation for the ongoing ODI series against South Africa. The same scenario will play out in 2026, with the Hundred expected to start two days after an ODI series against India and three days before the first Test against Pakistan.New investors in the Hundred will expect their England players to be available throughout the tournament. Jamie Smith, Jamie Overton and Ollie Pope missed London Spirit’s first game of this season, the day after the fifth Test at The Oval, which their incoming co-owner Nikesh Arora described as “disappointing” while calling for “better planning” by the ECB.Thompson acknowledged that the schedule is too crammed, speaking in his capacity as an ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society during England’s third ODI against South Africa on Sunday. “There are no easy answers, but the reality is we can’t have our cake and eat it,” Thompson told Sky Sports.”We want England players to play. This is our premium white-ball competition and we want England players to play in it. What we have to do is find a way of ensuring the schedule before and after the tournament [is better]. Take this year: the gap was a day or two days… That can’t be right.Related

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“If we’re going to get this level of investment, we’ve got to commit to ensuring our England players are available. We don’t want that to be at the expense of the success of England. We need to find a balance, and ultimately we can look at the schedule and we can try and free up time.”We’ve done this deal in the middle of a rights schedule. Come ’28, when we then cut the next deal for the next four years, we can cut this in a different way. We might have a short-term issue here, but we can overcome that.”Ultimately, if a player feels they’re injured, they’re going to rest themselves. They won’t want to play on an injury. England is still everything here. But we are not prepared to accept that you can’t find a halfway house and work with the owners to ensure that the owner will get what they need, and England will get what it needs.”Thompson also said that the tournament’s format will not change from 100-balls-a-side to T20 during the current broadcast cycle, which runs to the end of the 2028 summer, and denied that the sale of stakes in the eight Hundred franchises equates to selling the month of August to private investors.”I can categorically tell you it’s 100 balls next year,” he said. “I don’t think anything will change in this rights cycle. Sky [the Hundred’s main broadcaster] have bought 100 [balls a side]. Sky are not going to want to change that. It’s up to the owners and the ECB to decide what that might be in the future.”This is not English cricket selling off the family silver. This is English cricket bringing in investors to enable us to have a tournament that could challenge the IPL.”

Fanning, Bancroft and Cartwright all made half-centuries in WA’s 298 for 9 before the quicks cleaned up SA for 232, with Harvey making 76 in the losing chase

AAP24-Sep-2025Western Australia opener Sam Fanning has top-scored before teammate Joel Paris claimed five wickets in a 66-run one-day win against South Australia in Adelaide.Fanning’s 75 from 91 balls and half-centuries from Cameron Bancroft (63) and Hilton Cartwright (55) steered WA to 298 for 9 from 50 overs on Wednesday.SA were bowled out for 232 from 44.3 overs in reply at Karen Rolton Oval with the left-arm seamer Paris taking a career best 5 for 42 to claim player of the match honours.SA’s defence of the Dean Jones Trophy is in early strife with consecutive losses, while WA banked their first win from two outings. WA, led by Paris and 19-year-old quick Albert Esterhuysen (3-42), who was on debut, prevailed after weathering an early onslaught from SA’s Mackenzie Harvey (76 from 65 balls).The aggressive opener struck 11 fours and one six after the early loss of his partner Jake Fraser-McGurk, who smacked three fours but was dismissed for 14 from 10 balls.SA’s top order failed to fire with second-gamer Harry Manenti (39 from 49 balls), Jake Lehmann (33 from 42) and acting captain Jason Sangha (18 from 24) unable to cash in on promising starts.Cameron Bancroft and Sam Fanning posted half-centuries•Getty ImagesEarlier, WA openers Fanning and Joel Curtis made a brisk start with an 86-run partnership in less than 13 overs. The stand was broken when Curtis (44 from 33 balls) edged to wicketkeeper Harry Nielsen from the bowling of Manenti (1-51).Fanning and Bancroft combined for a 92-run partnership, taking the visitors to a position of power at 174 for 1 in the 29th over.But the dismissal of Fanning, who struck three sixes and four fours from 91 balls, allowed SA to stifle momentum as WA lost 4 for 49 in the next 10 overs. Sam Whiteman, Ashton Turner and Ashton Agar all fell cheaply.And when Bancroft was out lbw to legspinner Lloyd Pope, WA were 223 for 5 in the 38th over and could only muster 75 more runs from the next dozen overs.Pope finished with 2 for 51 from 10 overs, Hanno Jacobs took 2 for 61 from nine on debut for SA while pacer Jordan Buckingham was the pick of the bowlers with a miserly 2 for 33 from 10 overs.

Arsenal want to trigger the special release clause in Karl Etta-Eyong’s Levante contract, and the timeline of when a deal could be done has now been revealed.

The Gunners are looking to sign a new striker, despite adding Viktor Gyokeres to their ranks during the summer transfer window, with the Sweden international making a solid start to life in north London, scoring six goals in all competitions and receiving high praise for his display against Burnley.

However, Mikel Arteta continues to struggle on the injury front, with Gyokeres missing the 2-2 draw at Sunderland prior to the international break due to a muscle problem, while Kai Havertz hasn’t appeared since the opening day victory against Manchester United due to a knee issue.

With Gabriel Jesus’ future also in doubt, given that Flamengo have already opened talks to sign the Brazilian striker, it could make sense to bring in a new centre-forward in the January transfer window, and there has now been a development in their pursuit of a La Liga star.

Arsenal planning to trigger Karl Etta Eyeong's release clause

According to a report from Spain, Arsenal are now planning to trigger the special release clause in Etta-Eyong’s Levante contract, with the centre-forward allowed to sign for a Premier League club for a fee of €40m (£35m).

The striker is keen on a move to the Premier League, which suggests the door could be open for a deal to be done, and if everything progresses nicely, an announcement could be made within a matter of weeks.

The north Londoners are willing to pay the full release clause, such is their level of interest, and there are plenty of signs that £35m would be a savvy investment, with the 22-year-old making a flying start to the campaign.

Indeed, the Cameroon international has adapted very well since making the move to Levante in the summer, chipping in with six goals and three assists in his opening 12 La Liga appearances.

Scout Jacek Kulig has also singled the Douala-born striker out for high praise on X, courtesy of the start he has made at Levante.

With Jesus’ future up in the air and Havertz struggling on the injury front, Arteta could do with strengthening his attacking options this winter, and Etta Eyong could be a fantastic addition to the squad at just £35m.

Viktor Gyokeres named among the best strikers in the world

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Who is the best number nine right now?

By
Charlie Smith

Nov 20, 2025

GOAL brings you the lowdown on how British players are doing away from home, with many footballers now taking their talents abroad in search of prosperity. Despite the riches and the glamour of the Premier League, it's far from the be all and end all. You can still carve out a fantastic career even while out of the intense spotlight of the English media.

For example, the captain of the Three Lions decided to leave the Premier League just as he was closing in on becoming its all-time leading scorer, while two of his international team-mates are shining at Real Madrid and Scotland's Ballon d'Or nominee is living like a king in Italy.

Every Monday this season, GOAL will provide you with the latest on British stars playing on the continent and beyond. Here's what happened this weekend following a manic international break…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Kane plays sidekick role

  By Harry Kane's high standards, this was a pretty slow week for him. He scored once as Bayern Munich smashed Freiburg 6-2 at the Allianz Arena. Therefore, he contributed to merely 16.7 percent of his side's goals. What gives?

  Even despite finding the back of the net again, Kane was merely a member of the supporting cast as the Bavarians were forced to come from behind at home. Their visitors rudely sailed into a two-goal lead inside the opening 17 minutes, with both efforts coming from corners. Bayern, whose draw with Union Berlin before the international break interrupted their 16-match winning streak to open the season, took that personally.

  Goals from Kane, Lennart Karl, Nicolas Jackson and Dayot Upamecano, plus a fine brace from Michael Olise, saw Vincent Kompany's men eventually run out rampant winners, but it was difficult to ignore their weaknesses defending dead balls ahead of a trip to set-piece kings Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday.

  "The first 20 minutes weren't good from us, but then we showed character," Kane said post-match. "The goal to take the lead shortly after half time obviously helped us. We came out with significantly more energy in the second half. We did really well both with and without the ball and showed the true face of FC Bayern. It was a really good win."

  In good news for Kane on an individual note, he is now joint-top of the European Golden Shoe rankings after Erling Haaland drew a blank in Manchester City's 2-1 loss at Newcastle on Saturday, with both strikers now level on 14 goals apiece.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Bellingham saves Madrid as Trent finally impresses

  Poor Jude Bellingham was surprisingly the subject of a strange campaign from certain corners of the English media during his week away with the Three Lions. Fortunately, the Spanish press recognise his talent is less worthy of inflammatory sh*t-stirring, particularly with Real Madrid lingering from one crisis to another in recent weeks.

  Pressure is already mounting on head coach Xabi Alonso despite a fairly positive start to life in the Bernabeu dugout, with the uncertain future of star winger Vinicius Jr one of the main talking points. Results are starting to slide a little too – their 1-0 defeat to Liverpool team in the Champions League a fortnight ago has already aged like milk.

  On Sunday, Madrid made the trip to Elche, whose fast start to life back in La Liga has slowed in recent weeks, yet they still gave a decent account of themselves during this clash at the Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero. Aleix Febas gave the hosts a surprise lead at the start of the second half, before Bellingham's header from a corner was turned in by Dean Huijsen to pull Los Blancos level.

  When Alvaro Rodriguez put Elche back in front with six minutes to go, it appeared Madrid would be crashing to defeat, but Bellingham tapped home the second ball from a free-kick after his initial effort was denied to ensure it ended 2-2 and rescue a late point for the visitors.

  Bellingham was not the only England international to prove his worth to Madrid, with Trent Alexander-Arnold also turning some doubters into believers with his wicked deliveries from set plays, even despite his haphazard defending. , who gave the right-back a rating of 8/10 when Bellingham only got a 7, wrote: "Honestly, his set pieces are a real treat. He's delivering the ball with flair… and Madrid is getting something out of every attack. The Englishman takes a long-range shot and it sails high. He gets caught out of position for Elche's 1-0 goal. All of Madrid's danger stems from a Trent cross. A low, powerful ball that hits the crossbar. He's everywhere. And another set piece… and a Madrid goal."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Tomori keeps out Inter in derby win

  The first Derby della Madonnina of the season swung the way of AC Milan on Sunday, emerging as 1-0 winners in their 'away' match against Inter. A second-half strike from Christian Pulisic was all that separated these two great rivals, though the Nerazzurri spurned several chances to get on the scoresheet, with Hakan Calhanoglu denied from the penalty spot by former Rossoneri team-mate Mike Maignan.

  Fikayo Tomori started on the right of a back three and was tasked with trying to clamp down wing-back extraordinaire Federico Dimarco as well as Inter captain Lautaro Martinez. The latter was hooked with 25 minutes remaining despite his side chasing a goal, if you want to know how that particular battle turned out.

  At 27, Tomori was the elder statesman in a Milan backline which featured 26-year-old Matteo Gabbia in the middle, while the incredibly raw Strahinja Pavlovic, 24, conceded the penalty for a trip on Marcus Thuram. In fact, Tomori is actually the oldest defender in the entire Rossoneri squad, save for summer signing Pervis Estupinan by a few months, and Massimiliano Allegri has heavily leant on the forgotten England man upon his return to San Siro, featuring in all but two games so far this season.

  Allegri proclaimed pre-match that 'whoever wins the most duels will win the derby'. Tomori responded by winning six of his seven in the air and on the floor, while he made all three of his tackles, six clearances, two interceptions and one block.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  McTominay helps get Napoli back on track

  It was always going to be hard for Scott McTominay to return to club level with Napoli and exceed what he achieved over the November international window. His early submission for the 2026 Puskas Award – an outrageous overhead kick, obviously – was the first of many screamers during Scotland's 4-2 win at home to Denmark that saw them book a World Cup spot for the first time since 1998, only enhancing his modern-day legend.

  That ought to have served as quite the palette cleanser given Napoli's indifferent defence of their Serie A title. The reigning champions of Italy went into the international break with Antonio Conte playing up the possibility of leaving the club, as is usually customary wherever he goes but is a warning sign nonetheless. A 3-1 triumph against Atalanta at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona snapped a run of three games without victory and would have vastly improved the mood around Naples.

  David Neres' first-half double got Napoli on their way, and McTominay's quick thinking allowed the Brazilian to score his second, slipping the winger in down the left before he fired across goalkeeper Marco Carnasecchi to double the hosts' advantage. For those of a Manchester United persuasion wanting to check in on their alumni, Rasmus Hojlund teed up Neres for his first goal of the evening too.

Is Wilfried Nancy going to become the new Celtic manager?

Well, it was reported last week that Martin O’Neill and Shaun Maloney will remain in interim charge for Saturday night’s short trip to St Mirren, but for how much longer will that remain the case?

Other reports suggest that the Hoops are close to agreeing a £2m compensation package with Nancy’s current club Columbus Crew, with the aim for the Frenchman to take charge for the first time when the Celts visit Easter Road to take on Hibernian at Easter Road on Sunday 30 November.

Should Nancy swap Ohio for Glasgow, he would have plenty of work to do and numerous issues to solve, but ensuring Daizen Maeda stays in Scotland will no doubt be of great importance.

The latest on Daizen Maeda's future

Back in September, after the transfer window had closed, Maeda revealed that he had requested to leave Celtic this summer.

However, with the club struggling to replace Nicolas Kühn and Adam Idah, who were both sold, the Japan international was informed that he would not be allowed to depart.

Well, potentially as a result of this uncertainty, Maeda has not been at his blistering best so far this season, bagging just four goals to date, having netted 33 times across all competitions last season, four of which came in the Champions League.

After adding to his goal tally against Kilmarnock last time out, the 28-year-old started at left-wing-back as Japan beat Bolivia 3-0 in an international friendly on Tuesday, so could he push for a January move to help increase his chances of being included in Hajime Moriyasu’s World Cup squad?

Well, according to Fabrizio Romano, it is a “possibility” that the forward will be on the move in January, with Brentford, Everton, Leeds and two other Premier League clubs purportedly interested.

Considering that, since netting four minutes into his debut against Hibs in January 2022, Maeda has scored 66 goals in 175 appearances in hoops, he would be a massive loss, but could the incoming boss, Nancy, fill this void by bringing with him a star he knows rather well?

Celtic's potential Maeda replacement

When Ange Postecoglou arrived from Yokohama F. Marinos, he utilised his knowledge of the J League, an undervalued market, to sign gems for a cut-price, bringing in Kyōgo Furuhashi, Reo Hatate and Maeda himself.

Well, with Major League Soccer in a similar position, could Nancy follow this blueprint?

According to a report by the Daily Record, should Nancy arrive, his number one transfer target would be Columbus Crew star Diego Rossi, who has previously hinted that he would like to return to European football.

After beginning his career at Peñarol, Rossi really burst onto the scene at LAFC, scoring 59 goals in 121 appearances for the Black and Gold, picking up the 2020 MLS Golden Boot, form that earned him a £4.5m move to Fenerbahçe.

However, after a pretty underwhelming stint in İstanbul, he returned to Major League Soccer in the summer of 2023, and has taken his game to a whole new level under Nancy in Columbus.

To date, the Uruguayan international has scored 45 goals in 101 appearances for the Crew, bagging 16 MLS goals in 2025, comparing favourably to other players across the league.

Goals

16

13th

Shots

91

13th

Shots on target

40

10th

Goals – xG

+2.6

8th*

Big chances missed

13

23rd

Shot creating actions

94

37th

Progressive carries

106

11th

Touches in box

165

5th

Average rating

7.38

7th**

*minimum 15 goals. **forwards only.

Worth reiterating that MLS is a gigantic league with 30 teams, while 882 players made an appearance in the competition this year, so to be in the top ten or even top 20 for the attacking metrics included is impressive.

His tally of 16 goals is noteworthy, albeit it could’ve been even better had he not missed 13 Opta-defined big chances, something that has also been a tendency of Maeda’s game, so perhaps he would be a ready-made replacement.

According to Football Transfers, Rossi’s estimated market value is around £7m, having increased again in recent months after it plateaued in 2024, following his exploits in, according to Global Football Rankings, the tenth-strongest league in the world, a humongous 23 places above the Scottish Premiership.

Speaking ahead of MLS Cup Final in 2023, Carlos Vela, who was Rossi’s teammate in California, labelled the Uruguayan a “really good finisher”, adding that he’s “fast” and “technically good”, while Bob Bradley, his coach at LAFC, adds that the forward is “deceptive” and “such a good player to have” as part of your attack.

Now 27, in a similar way to Maeda, now may well be the time for Rossi to take the next step in his career, aiming to get into Uruguay’s World Cup squad, having not featured for los Charrúas since June 2023.

Unlike in European leagues, MLS’ primary transfer window is in the winter, something that will change in 2027, meaning January moves are a lot more common.

Thus, with Rossi into the final year of his contract in Columbus, he appears to be the perfect fit for a Celtic side lacking attacking firepower, irrespective of whether Maeda departs or not.

Palma 2.0: Celtic's £5m star is going to be on borrowed time under Nancy

With Wilfried Nancy poised to become the new Celtic manager, which “terrific talent” could be on borrowed time and may well become the new Luis Palma?

ByBen Gray Nov 17, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

O Corinthians retomou as conversas com o Athletico-PR e subiu a proposta para contratar o volante Erick. Contudo, o Timão vem esbarrando em entraves para concluir a negociação. A informação foi revelada pela jornalista Monique Vilela e confirmada pelo Lance!.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

Após o Furacão recusar uma troca por Fausto Vera e uma tentativa por empréstimo, a diretoria alvinegra enviou uma proposta de 6 milhões de euros (R$ 32 milhões na cotação atual) ao clube paranaense para contratar Erick.

O Athletico mantém a postura de não querer negociar o volante, mas o Corinthians aposta no projeto esportivo apresentado ao jogador para convencer o Furacão a vendê-lo.

continua após a publicidade

– O Athletico não tem a intenção de vender, mas o projeto agrada o Erick, que já havia pedido sua liberação. Estamos negociando. Eles têm o direito de não querer vender e nós temos o direito de querer sair. Isso não quer dizer que falte respeito de ambas as partes. É uma questão de projeção profissional e financeira. E o Athletico seria muito bem remunerado por isso – disse Miguel Calluf, agente de Erick, ao UOL.

+ Veja como ficou a tabela do Brasileirão após a última rodada

Reforçar o meio-campo é uma das prioridades do Corinthians para 2024. A nova gestão já assegurou a permanência de Maycon por mais um ano e contratou o volante Raniele e o meia Rodrigo Garro.

continua após a publicidade

Are Manchester United back on track? It’s probably premature to make such a conclusive claim, but then we can’t help but notice the hint of success now that Ruben Amorim has strung together a five-match unbeaten run in the Premier League.

It was refreshing to see the Portuguese coach speak candidly after the recent draw at Tottenham Hotspur, though. Amorim understands that, while progress has been made in recent months, there is so much work still to be plied.

While the likes of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha have reshaped the Red Devil frontline for the better, there’s no question that issues remain in the centre of the field, even with Casemiro resurgent and the skipper, Bruno Fernandes, in fine form.

Man Utd's search for a midfielder

INEOS and the Manchester United recruitment team have accepted that the midfield requires something of a rebuild, with Bruno and Casemiro into their 30s and Kobbie Mainoo out of sorts.

One of the pleasing changes of recent months has been a focus on adding Premier League-proven quality. Mbeumo and Cunha stand as testaments to this. Now, the same logic must be applied in the centre.

There are a number of possibilities, the most noisy of which centres on England star Elliot Anderson, though Nottingham Forest have placed a prohibitive £100m price tag on their prized star’s name.

United are ready to spend in 2026, though, and could instead make a move for Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba, having profiled the Cameroonian talent last summer.

According to GIVEMESPORT and Fabrizio Romano, Old Trafford Director of Football Jason Wilcox has held positive discussions with the young midfielder; however, it looks like Brighton have doubled down on their £115m valuation.

Crucially, Baleba is “very keen” on leaping at the chance to sign for Amorim’s outfit, and so a deal could certainly be pulled off next year.

Why Man Utd want Carlos Baleba

Man United have needed a mobile centre-midfielder for a while, and in Baleba, they might just land the perfect player.

The Brighton star is into his third season in the Premier League, and though he hasn’t been at his best since the summer, this is likely because of the fallout from United’s failed attempt to bring him away from Fabian Hurzeler’s outfit in August.

Hailed by analyst Joao Miguel as being a “transition monster” who “eats hectares of space for lunch”, the 5 foot 11 star would dovetail right into the way Amorim wants to play, perhaps even more so than Anderson, who is firmly rooted in Forest’s counter-pressing brand of football.

Anderson might be more mobile and energetic in his game, but Baleba’s mix of tough-tackling defending and ball-playing quality makes him the perfect alternative, and one who could even come to surpass the England man.

For all the gains United have made in recent months, they are still an imperfect outfit. Too easy to catch on the break and lacking physicality, xGA data reveals Amorim’s side to be among the most statistically porous in the division.

Burnley

22

23.4

Nott’m Forest

20

16.6

Man United

18

16.4

West Ham

23

16.3

Wolves

25

16.0

Baleba’s strength and ground-covering presence would ease this problem and then some, adding the fresh legs needed to keep Bruno on his A-game. This positive chain would ripple through to the forwards, who are already showing such promise.

Anderson is emerging as a talented midfielder, and either would be a credit to the Man United project. However, Baleba’s desire to move to Manchester, the club’s comprehensive profiling of his style and his powerful and athletic approach could see him emerge as the pick of the bunch.

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Martin O’Neill has steadied the ship as interim Celtic manager, but for how much longer will he be at the helm?

The 73-year-old has led the Hoops into the League Cup Final, ousting Rangers 3-1 at Hampden, while also enjoying back-to-back 4-0 victories in the Premiership, most recently hammering Kilmarnock 4-0 on Sunday.

The Northern Irishman returned to Glasgow 20 years after departing, having won three Premiership titles, two Scottish Cups and the League Cup during his first stint in charge, also leading the Hoops to the UEFA Cup Final in 2003, beaten by José Mourinho’s Porto in Seville.

When he was appointed in 2000, this was seen as a bit of a risk, considering O’Neill had little top-level experience at the time, achieving promotions with Wycombe Wanderers and Leicester City, before winning two EFL Cups in charge of the Foxes.

So, could the Celtic board return to the English Football League for their next appointment, a quarter of a century on from O’Neill’s arrival at Parkhead?

Latest on Celtic's manager search

From the moment the dust settled following Brendan Rodgers’ shock resignation as Celtic manager on 27 October, Kieran McKenna has been among the front-runners for the job.

A report last week suggested he had emerged as the No.1 target to fill the vacancy, with speculation suggesting that he does have an affiliation to Celtic.

However, it was also noted that getting McKenna out of Ipswich will be no easy take, considering he is under contract at Portman Road until 2028, and the Tractor Boys, currently seventh in the EFL Championship, will not allow their most prized asset to leave without a fight.

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Thus, as they search for alternatives, a report by the Daily Record claims that Celtic have held internal discussions at boardroom level about the possibility of appointing Brian Barry-Murphy – with interest in McKenna said to have ‘waned’.

The report indicates that Celtic chiefs are currently conducting interviews, with a new figure potentially in line to be in place for the Premiership clash away to St Mirren on Saturday, November 22.

As for Barry-Murphy, his father Jimmy was a Gaelic footballer and hurler, winning multiple major titles, thereby considered to be among the most legendary figures in the history of all Gaelic games.

Now, Brian is making a name for himself as a football coach across the Irish Sea, so could he soon swap South Wales for Glasgow?

What the next O'Neill would bring to Celtic

Following the Bluebirds’ relegation last season, thereby finding themselves outside England’s top two tiers for the first time since 2003, Barry-Murphy was appointed Cardiff City manager in the summer.

Well, up until very recently, Cardiff had been top of EFL League One, before back-to-back away defeats at Blackpool and Bolton have seen them sink down to fourth.

Nevertheless, they have reached the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, set to face Chelsea next month, and their league statistics this season are impressive.

Cardiff – League 1 stats 2025/25

Statistics

Cardiff

League rank

Points

26

4th

Goals scored

22

3rd

Goals against

14

2nd

Big chances

41

1st

Big chances missed

30

1st

Possession

62.1%

1st

Accurate passes

407.5

1st

Shots per 90

14.4

2nd

Shots on target pet 90

4.9

2nd

Clean sheets

6

2nd

Stats via FBref and SofaScore

As the table documents, Cardiff lead the division when it comes to big chances missed, suggesting they’re playing well but have not earned as many points as they may deserve.

Meantime, the Bluebirds are in the top two for goals against and shots, while ranked first in the division for possession and accurate passes, evidence of Barry-Murphy’s style of play.

Before taking the Cardiff job, the Irishman had been in charge of Manchester City’s Elite Development Squad, overseeing plenty of success with the Sky Blues, which is very much where he honed his craft and playing philosophy.

Now, his work in South Wales is earning rave reviews, labelled a “very talented coach”, while Benedict Ferraby of EFL World has praised his ‘impressive start’ to life in the Bluebirds’ dugout as well as his ‘exciting’ style of play.

Of course, considering he has only ever managed Rochdale, Man City’s youth teams and now Cardiff for just 22 matches, appointing Barry-Murphy would be a risk, but one reminiscent of the hiring of O’Neill, a similar age at the time, back in 2000.

With no obvious candidate for the job, and Rodgers’ resignation coming out of nowhere, the Celtic board are targeting a younger ‘project’ manager.

Well, while McKenna appears perfectly suited to this role, securing his signature may not prove ascertainable, but Barry-Murphy could well be the ideal alternative.

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Posts ByBen Gray Nov 13, 2025